French Literature Reviews - 2026
Z. Zalloua, Montaigne and the Ethics of Skepticism
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Zahi Zalloua, Montaigne and the Ethics of Skepticism
Rookwood Press, 2005, 191 p.
ISBN: 1886365563
€35.10
A close reading attuned to the manner of the Essays—specifically the intersubjective dimension of the text and its author's skepticism—reveals an ethical Montaigne shaped not only by his relationship with himself, but also by his relationship with others (namely, Socrates, La Boétie, and the cannibal). While Socrates teaches him the virtue and utility of turning inward—a practice that served him well during the Wars of Religion—as a true "generous spirit," Montaigne transcends the ancient ideal of self-mastery to place respect for the other, in all forms of alterity, at the very heart of his ethics of care. Far from posing an obstacle to ethical thought, Montaigne's skepticism generates a genuine concern for and openness toward others. His perpetual inconstancy and mutability help defer any definitive answer to the question of his own identity (who he is), while fueling his respect for others and his resolute refusal to categorize alterity (what the other is) in any absolute way. A study that bridges Montaigne's ethical and skeptical selves allows us to rethink this ethical self in terms of textual performance—a performance irreducible to the mere content of the author's statements.
Attending to the manner of the Essais, to the text's intersubjective dimension and its author's skepticism, reveals an ethical Montaigne in the process of fashioning himself not only through his relation to self, but especially through his relation to others (namely, Socrates, La Boétie, and the cannibal). Learning from Socrates the virtue and usefulness of turning inward during the Wars of Religion, Montaigne the esprit généreux moves beyond the ancient ideal of self-mastery, making the respect for the other—for alterity in its diverse manifestations—central to his ethics of care. Contrary to being an impediment to ethical thought, Montaigne's skepticism generates a concern for and openness toward the other. His lucid recognition of his own perpetual movement and fundamental unruliness not only contributes to the unsettlement of a definitive answer to the question of identity (who he is), but also informs his respect toward others, his relentless avoidance of any absolute identification of alterity (who the other is). Thinking about his ethical and skeptical selves together—his ethics of skepticism—enables us to rethink Montaigne's ethical self as a textual performance, irreducible to what the author says.
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Michel de Montaigne’s Essais, written during the French Wars of Religion, are a significant work of Renaissance humanism known for their introspective nature and engagement with skeptical traditions. This study examines the intersubjective dimension of the text and the relationship between Montaigne’s skepticism and his ethics, specifically regarding his interactions with figures such as Socrates, La Boétie, and the cannibal. Readers interested in the intersection of early modern philosophy and the development of ethical thought may find this analysis relevant.
The concept of alterity is central to inquiries regarding how individuals interact with others. In the Essais, this involves Montaigne’s connections with figures such as Socrates and La Boétie, as well as his observations on the cannibal. The study addresses how Montaigne’s skepticism and his refusal to define identity in absolute terms inform his respect for others and his ethics of care, framing his ethical self as a textual performance.